I have alopecia totalis which means I have no hair at all on my scalp, I’ve also lost my eyebrows and eyelashes. I don’t get on with wigs, I find them very uncomfortable, so instead I wear headscarves, bandanas or hats. As the weather is getting colder I’ve swapped my summer bandanas for winter hats, but I haven’t had much luck finding a good quality warm hat. They are either too itchy, not as warm as they look or too light and loose so that they are in danger of blowing off of my head on a windy day. Last winter I bought so many hats, but wasn’t happy with any of them. So I was excited to try a knitted hat from Buffwear, a company that make a wide range of hats and other headwear.

The Buff Laki Stripes Hat is a knitted hat with bright stripes in various shades of blue. As soon as I opened the packaging I could tell that the hat was of really high quality. It is closely knitted in a very soft wool. There are no loose threads, and even after wearing it lots of times the wool hasn’t gone ‘fuzzy’ - it still looks as good as it did on day one.

Inside the hat is a wonderfully soft fleece lining. This is what makes the Buff hat a winner for me as it feels great against the sensitive skin on my scalp. Since developing alopecia my scalp has become very sensitive and the material of some hats, especially knitted ones, are very irritating and itchy - this hat is so comfortable you forget you’re wearing it. It feels nice and closely on my head and feels very secure and I don’t worry it’s going to blow away (which has happened with another woolly hat as we live on the coast and it gets very windy here).

The fleece lining has a high thermal insulation so it’s perfect to wear in cold winter weather. As I’ve not got any hair, my head obviously gets very cold but the Buff Laki Stripes Hat has kept me lovely and warm, even on very chilly, windy days. I often put a fleece cap on under my other knitted hats as they seem to let in the cold wind, but I haven’t needed to do that with this hat because it’s lined and the wool and fabric are top quality.

Buff hats cost a little more than I’d usually pay, but now I’ve tried this one I can see why. In my opinion Buff hats are well worth the price. Their products are not only superb quality but they also look great. I love how my new hat looks and I wear it all the time while I’m out walking the dogs.

There is a wide range of winter hats available from Buff and I plan on investing in a different style soon. I highly recommend the Buff Laki Stripes Hat, and Buff products in general - five stars.

PREMIUM QUALITY - Sketching pencil kit made from professional charcoal and graphite, highest quality keep all the premium art graphite sketching pencil tools from shattering and snaping when sharpen them or use them. This professional art pencils are great to meet your request to create your own masterpiece. Different sizes of pencils graphite are different hardness, 8B are softest and 6H are hardest.

NON-TOXIC AND SAFE - Magicdo graphite pencil set is non-toxic and safe, all are made from eco-friendly material, safety and acid-free. It is no need to worry that your kids or little students use the pencils to drawing and you can breath comfortable when doing any fashion sketching.

TRAVEL FRIENDLY CASE - This drawing pencils set is equipped with a nice zipper case. All the pieces of drawing supplies for artists are well organized in a nice zipper case to carry anywhere. Comes with a zipper case for easy store, use charcoal drawing set anywhere as you desired.It will be the great art supplies for sketching or drawing.

WIDELY USED - Best pencils kit for pencil drawing, pencil sketching and writing, suitable for students, teachers, or anyone who is fond of drawing to use in different occasions. Great artists drawing aid for whoever loves drawing or sketching, professional or beginners. Never too late to build a new hobby and get a new skill with this art set.

I am particularly impressed with the range of pencils in this set. Its a brilliant selection of harder pencils through to soft which is perfect for artists or anyone learning to draw like me. I got into art through my school lessons and never believed I could draw but over time I am improving and becoming more confident. With this set it enables me to contrast my shading much better which improves my.work.

Charcoal and Graphite are not something I have used much. I have always been quite nervous about using them but this set has encouraged me to give it a better try. I am looking forward to getting to grips with this.

This set is suitable for artists as well as teenagers and adults who are learning to draw. Its compact in a zipped case containing 35 items. For the money I feel with the range of items its good value and would make a lovely gift.

TOFAR 15 Colors Makeup Eyeshadow Palettes are made from a natural mineral oil base and are smudge resistant, long lasting. Highly pigmented. Silky to the touch and stay in place well.

Neutral Color Palette Kit. No dye and will not form annoying mark. Glossy colors and high quality ingredients together to care skin and can last for all day long.

Wonderful colors for your selection. Enabling layering and mixing, provides total camouflage for almost any skin problem including blemishes, scars, birthmarks and black circles. High Quality, buy with confidence!

This eyeshadow palette is available in two different colours - a bright glittery set, and a neutral set. We chose the palette with the neutral colours. This set contains 15 colours ranging from cream to beige, brown, pink, plum, grey and red. Most of the colours are quite natural and I’ll use most of them, but the red is a bit too bright for me. So overall it has a good selection of colours in a small case.

To give you an idea of the size of this palette, it will fit easily in the palm of your hand. It’s a good size to keep in your make up bag or handbag.

The eyeshadow applies well without making a mess. The only downside is that this palette doesn’t contain an applicator. I’m quite happy with this product and have given it four stars.

We are at the end of October, so that means we are also at the end of National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month so I thought I’d share a few more rescue dogs that are looking for new homes. These are all from UK based rescue centres, and they all deserve a second chance.

If you are looking for a new dog please consider adopting one from a rescue centre rather than buying a puppy, there are so many dogs that need new homes. Rescue centres often have puppies that need homes too, it’s not all adult dogs or ‘problem’ dogs. It’s so rewarding getting a rescue dog. It can be difficult at times, but training a puppy can also be hard work. Right that’s the end of the lecture, here are some adorable dogs for you to look at!

Sophie

Breed - Beagle

Age - 4

Rescue - Many Tears Animal Rescue

Location - Carmarthenshire, Wales

More information -

Sophie is a lovely 4 year old beagle. Although she is an ex-breeding girl Sophie has been living in a house, walks on the lead and we believe she is house trained. She has happilly lived with young children and other dogs and if you want to adopt her and have a cat we can test her to see how she reacts but we are told she is good with everything. Sohpie could live with other dogs or in the right circumstances be an only dog.

Beautiful Bandit is a 6 year old crossbreed who has bundles of love to share with all of his human friends. This lovable, affectionate boy enjoys learning new tricks, playing with his toys and going on exciting new adventures.

Bandit is suitable to live with children aged 11 and over and would like to be the only dog in the home. His new family should continue his dog socialisation to help him gain some doggy pals in the future. Bandit isn't a fan of those pesky cats so a home with minimal cats in the neighbourhood would be ideal. His active and playful nature would be best suited to a home with a medium, secure garden where he can play to his hearts content! High fences are essential for this true explorer!

Helll’OOOOO’ there! My names Ice and I’m a fun-loving malamute lady. Maybe you’ve owned my breed before and know all about my wonderful sounds and the things I need?!

I’m four years old and super active. To be perfectly honest, I would like my humans to be around most of the time as I can’t get enough attention! I do get bored if I’m not getting all the attention I crave (and deserve, thank you)...this can lead to me being a bit vocal but I DO have a lovely singing voice!

My favourite thing is playing, I think its really pawesome. I’m even quite talented at a spot of agility so I’d love a large garden I can play and show off in.

Out on my walkies I like meeting other doggos but I would like all the fuss and attention as the only dog in the home please! I’d also like to live with older children (teenagers).

Please fill out a homefinder today if you think you’re suitable so I can show you just how lovely I am!

Frankie is a very bright and fun loving dog with bags of character and energy. He is looking for a training minded home to help see him through his adolescent years and owners who will enjoy being a part of that process. For your effort you’ll be rewarded with an intelligent, affectionate and a very rewarding dog to be around. Frankie will be best in an adult only environment and will need to be the only pet in the home. He will need some training before being left home alone.

Hello, my name is Daisy and I am a beautiful 8-year-old female Jack Russell Terrier. I was not getting along with the other dog in my previous home, so I am now looking for a new home of my own.

I am a very active girl who can be a little anxious in new situations, but once confident loves getting attention from everyone that I meet. I’m very keen to explore new places and will often try my hardest to get to them as quickly as possible, so it is important that any new owner can work on my lead walking with me as well as continue my basic training and socialisation.

I’m looking for a quiet home where there’s not much coming and going. I can get a little distressed when there’s lots going on outside my house, so a home in a quiet area or in a rural location would suit me best.

I would make a great companion for an active, terrier-experienced family. I love to be out and about exploring and I love playing with my toys; I will eagerly play fetch and drop my ball for it to be thrown again! But I do prefer my own space when it comes to being around other dogs. I’m quite happy if they leave me alone but I’m definitely not fond of them in my face!

I would be happy in a home with children aged 8+ that are used to dogs and I would prefer to be the only pet in the household.

Review This advent calendar is great value for money. You get miniature cosmetic products throughout the 24 days. It’s a lovely selection of items ranging from lip gloss to nail varnish, nail stickers to eye liner pencil and much more. Would suit teenage girls and women alike. Having got this for my teenage daughter I feel it makes a nice little gift whilst including her in the whole advent calendar experience that children enjoy. This will make her feel grown up without it being over the top.

The only negative thing from my point of view is that it details exactly what is included on the reverse of the box which spoils things somewhat. I will be covering this so as not to spoil the surprise for her. Rating 4 1/2 stars

There are so many different fidget toys available now, they are very popular both with children and people who use them to help them cope in situations that make them anxious. My teenage daughter loves fidget spinners, but this is the first time she’s had a fidget cube.

The cube looks great, I love the camouflage blue pattern. It’s quite strong and it seems to be well made. It’s got different buttons on the sides. Some you twist, others you click etc. It should suit everyone who likes to keep their fidgety hands occupied with this type of toy.

It’s a little more expensive than most fidget spinners I’ve bought, but I think this cube is worth the little bit extra because it’s more involved than a basic spinner. These are great for kids, or for anyone that needs something to distract them or to fiddle with. Five stars.

Monday, 30 October 2017

Over the last few months there doesn't seem to be a week that goes by where I don't have at least one appointment. I’ve had so many tests recently, including MRIs, EEGs, 48 hours EEGs, tests on my throat and much more. Add to that appointments to see consultants, speech and language appointments to help with my swallowing and choking problems, and home visits from physiotherapists and occupational therapists. My whole life seems like it revolves around medical appointments at the moment.

I’m just hoping that I get some answers soon as life is very difficult. I usually have at least two joint dislocations a day which is obviously extremely painful, at least two severe muscle spasms/seizures and I choke regularly too as I can’t swallow properly anymore. I fall daily (when transferring from my bed to my wheelchair etc) and I often get injured during the falls because my body is so fragile.

Hopefully the many tests will soon result in some better treatment that will improve my quality of life, because at the moment I’m a prisoner in my bedroom.

I’ll stop the whining now and move on to something more positive - my incredible assistance dog Elgin. He’s been amazing recently, he’s helped me through some tough times. He’s helping with his usual tasks like helping me dress, but he’s also been learning new things like fetching help as soon as I start choking. It’s quite scary sometimes, but knowing Elgin is there is a big comfort to me.

Hospitals are very difficult for me, they usually trigger anxiety attacks, but my clever pooch has been keeping me calm. He’s so good at the hospital, and so patient. Everyone loves him, he always gets so much attention. Hospitals can be difficult environments for assistance dogs, but Elgin takes it all in his stride and seems to enjoy his visits there. He especially enjoys the fun trips to the park afterwards - and his trip to the pet shop to choose a new toy or treat!

Fingers crossed I will get some test results soon and that the doctors will be able to better control my severe pain. But in the meantime I have my special dog to give me lots of cuddles - they always make me feel better!

This heat resistant mat is also a case, so it’s perfect to use both at home and while traveling. It’s great to use with hair straighteners, curlers, hair dryers and other heated styling tools.

It has some really useful pockets, there is plenty of room for your straighteners and your other accessories. The heat resistant backing means it’s safe to place straighteners etc on it even when they are still hot.

This product is well made, all of the seams look and feel strong. It’s a good size, ideal for my needs. It’s a must for anyone using heated hair styling tools in their bedroom. It gives peace of mind when using them and leaving them to cool down after use. Five stars

This sports towel is really handy for the trips to the gym and other sporting activities. It’s available in four colours, I chose Rubin Red which is lovely and bright, it looks great (although I’d have described it as more of a pink than a red). Because it’s so bright it wouldn’t be easy to mislay it.

It’s a good size and has a very useful zipped pocket at one end. It’s perfect for keeping your essential valuables safe and to hand while you train. The towel is lightweight but also very soft and absorbent. My daughter is very sporty and uses this at karate practice and at the gym. The pocket keeps her mobile phone safe while she works out. She’s told me to give this five stars.

Like most teenagers I have quite oily skin, so I was keen to try the 7th Heaven cucumber peel off mask for oily skin. I tried the limited edition Halloween version, but it’s available all year around with normal packaging. This face mask was easy to apply. It made the area around my eyes sting a little when first applied but this soon settled. It took a bit longer than predicted to dry, about 30 minutes in total but didnt feel at all unpleasant. It was very easy to remove and peeled off well. The over all result feels really nice. My face feels really soft and very clean.

Definitely the best Halloween mask I have ever worn - not a trick but most definitely a treat! It really is a great beauty treatment, it really suited my skin and I’m pleased with the results. It’s fantastic value at £1 too, it’s really affordable, even for youngsters like me.

I will definitely be looking to buy more of this brand and wont be waiting until next Halloween either. Five stars.

Also available in a non Halloween version. Available from stockists nationwide for just £1.

We have another Halloween recipe for you from the wonderful people at www.watercress.co.uk and it looks amazing. The tortilla graveyard looks really effective, it’s such a clever idea. I’m not sure it would look quite so good if I tried to make it though!

Spooky Tortilla Graveyard with Guacamole Dip

Photo credit - www.watercress.co.uk

Serves 8-10

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

4 ripe avocadoes

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 small red onion, finely diced

4 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

2-3 large tortilla wraps

250ml vegetable oil

85g watercress

Salt and pepper

To make the guacamole, add the avocado and lemon juice to a blender or food processor along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then stir in the coriander and red onion. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Use a small, sharp knife to cut grave stone shapes from the tortilla wraps. Why not be as creative as you like and try cutting out some ghosts or trees as well!

Place a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. After a few minutes, check the temperature of the oil by dropping in a small piece of tortilla wrap. If the wrap sinks to the bottom, the oil is not hot enough. Once the oil is the correct temperature, the tortilla should stay on the surface and create bubbles.

Add a few tortilla shapes at a time to the oil, frying for less than a minute on each side or until golden. Drain the shapes on kitchen towel and allow to cool.

Once the shapes have cooled, take a large ceramic oven dish and fill spread the guacamole evenly over the base. Scatter over the watercress to represent grass, then place the gravestones and other shapes in any way you like.

If not serving immediately, keep the guacamole in the fridge and the tortilla shapes in an airtight container at room temperature

Having tried several motion sensor lights, this one is a breath of fresh air. Most eat up batteries and dim very quickly, but this one is rechargeable so no more need for batteries. According to the packaging a two hour charge lasts for two months. Even if it only lasts for half of that time, it is still very impressive and will be so much easier for us.

The light is mounted on a back plate which can be stuck to your chosen surface with a sticky pad. It’s bright and responds quickly to any movement around it.

We have this light on our landing to enable both us and our daughter to navigate safely in the night. It works brilliantly, we are very pleased with it. It’s definitely worth the price and I’d say it was very good value for a product of this quality. The best motion sensor light we’ve tried. Five stars.

Saturday, 28 October 2017

We’ve shared some recipes with you for Halloween cakes and snacks, now we have a recipe for some Halloween drinks. Kids will love these scary looking milkshakes! They’re made using Shaken Udder Top Banana or Vanillalicious milkshakes so they will be super tasty. I’m a big fan of Shaken Udder Milkshakes, especially the vanilla flavour, they are so creamy and delicious. Why not give this recipe a try?!

Halloween Milkshakes

Photo credit - Shaken Udder

Serves: 2

2 x 330ml bottle Vanillalicious or Top Banana Shaken Udder Milkshake

Various Food Colouring

Whipped Cream

Strawberry Sauce

Halloween Sweets

Pour the milkshake into 2 glasses and add a few drops food colouring until it turns the desired colour.

Top with whipped cream, squirt over the strawberry sauce and top with the sweets.

Touch Sensor Control and 3 Level Brightness - Touch Sensor Switch is applied to this lamp,which allows you to adjust the brightness top 3-Levels of different brightness to meet various demands of different environments.

Flexible - The gooseneck tube to adjust its height, angle and can be 360 degrees rotated. With a clamp up to 5cm, making this lamp widely used in many position.

This is a great little light and it’s surprisingly bright considering it’s size. It has a touch sensor and three different levels of brightness, so it should be suitable for most situations. It has a large clip to attach to your desk or shelf. This holds firm and steady so you don’t need to worry about it being knocked over. The light has a long neck that can be bent to the angle you require which is very useful.

This light is rechargeable and comes with a USB lead that can be used in your laptop or plug adapter. Thr charge lasts a good amount of time too. It’s great for reading, on your desk or as a light if you want to get up in the night but don’t want to disturb anyone by putting a big light on.

Overall this is a fantastic product. Really good quality and perfect for us. Five stars.

If you like bling then you’re going to love these slippers! Available in a choice of five colours (silver, gold, black, rose and blue) these sequin slippers are seriously sparkly! I chose the silver pair for my teenage daughter and I think she’s going to love them.

I’ve tried these on to make sure they will fit my daughter (we have the same size feet) and I’m impressed with how comfortable these slippers are. They have a very soft lining which makes them really cosy to wear. The sizes seem to be accurate too, which isn’t always the case with ordering shoes and clothing from overseas sellers.

These slippers are great for both adults and teenagers. They make a lovely gift too, I’d be very happy to receive them. Five stars.

Friday, 27 October 2017

Whether you’re planning a spooky Halloween party or having a cosy night in watching horror films, iconic meat SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham offers friends and family more treats than tricks this Halloween.

Quick and easy to make, these specially created Spooky SPAM® Sandwiches and SPAM® Spooks are guaranteed to put a smile on the scariest guest’s face.

Spooky SPAM® Sandwiches -

Makes 4 Bats and 4 Pumpkin sandwiches

Photo credit - SPAM

Ingredients

340g can SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham

100g cream cheese

8 slices of medium brown bread from a large loaf for the bats

8 slices of medium white bread from a large loaf for the pumpkins

1 slice of Red Leicester cheese for the pumpkin features

16 whole black peppercorns for the eyes

Method

For the bats:

Cut out eight bats from the brown bread to make four sandwiches

Cut out four bat shapes from the wide side of the SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham

Spread each bread bat with cream cheese.

Lay the SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham bat on one bread bat which is spread with cheese, top with the second bread bat to make one sandwich

Place two peppercorn eyes on each bat.

For the pumpkins:

Cut out eight pumpkins from the white bread to make four sandwiches

Cut out four pumpkins from the wide side of the SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham

Spread each bread pumpkin with cream cheese.

Lay the SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham pumpkin on one bread pumpkin which is spread with cheese , top with the second cheese bread pumpkin to make one sandwich

Cut out scary cheese eyes, nose and mouths for the pumpkin sandwiches using the Red Leicester cheese, then add the black whole peppercorns to the eyes for the pupils.

SPAM® Spooks -

Makes 8 SPAM® Spooks

Photo credit - SPAM

Ingredients

200g can or tub of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham (lie SPAM® on its wide side and cut into 8/10 slices)2 gloves of garlic minced16 slices medium cut white or 50/50 bread from a large sliced loaf2 extra large organic eggs, well beatenVegetable oil for fryingCardboard for templates

Method

With the cardboard cut-out templates of ghosts, skulls and coffins

Place a template on to a slice of bread and with kitchen scissors, cut around the template making two for each SPAM® Spook

Cut the slices of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham with Garlic to fit into the middle of each shape and press well together

Pour the oil into a large frying pan to approximately 2/3 cm deep and heat until a cube of bread quickly fries to golden

Dip each SPAM® Spook into the beaten egg, coating each side and carefully place into the hot oil

Fry for approximately 1 minute until golden, carefully turn over and repeat. Carefully take out of the hot oil and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat with the other SPAM® Spooks